The invention relates to detecting wear on a coated substrate.
Coatings and finishes are often applied to floors, walls and counter tops to improve durability, alter aesthetics, decrease maintenance requirements, prevent microorganism growth, and impart water resistance and chemical resistance to the surface. The coatings and finishes are often applied in several coating applications to obtain a finish having the desired appearance and durability. Because these coatings and finishes are often clear and colorless, it can be difficult to determine whether the surface coverage is complete.
As the surface is used, for example, contact with pedestrian traffic in the case of floors, the coating begins to wear to a point at which the coating is no longer providing its intended function. It is often difficult to determine the point at which the coating becomes worn to such an extent that the surface should be refinished. It would be helpful to be able to easily determine when a surface coating has worn to at point at which the surface is in need of refinishing.